


Follow Through The Storm

by Measured



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-05
Updated: 2013-03-05
Packaged: 2019-04-08 01:45:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14094324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: "What I said then was the truth. I will never abandon you, Ike," Soren said.





	Follow Through The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> [](https://cottoncandy-bingo.dreamwidth.org/profile)[cottoncandy_bingo](https://cottoncandy-bingo.dreamwidth.org/): Lead/follow.
> 
> Happy (late) birthday, Jana!
> 
> Betaed by Pbao.

"You're still up," Soren said, his voice accusatory as he stepped into the ruins of the room. The fort was in shambles, but it'd hold for another night, and provide more shelter than mere tents, at least. The walls here had several holes from some form of ballista fire, proving once and for all that the former tenants of this fort had met a violent end. Water pooled in some of the lower places of the fort through the gaps in the roof. The storm had not let up in the least.s

"There's still work to be done," Ike said. He looked around at the mess, the room turned into a makeshift office. The desk had bloodstains and mold rot on it, the chair behind it had tines rotted away and broken apart, twisted like broken ribs.

He sat back and the chair creaked beneath him.

"Shinon and Gatrie are gone," Ike said.

"Yes, I know. We'll replace them," Soren said. "It's better to have other loyal mercenaries than two untrustworthy ones, even if the loyalty is only to the amount of coin we can give them."

Good riddance to refuse. He had never had a high opinion of either man, but they had fallen far lower in his estimation. Shinon's skill was wasted on such a shiftless, contrary man, and Gatrie was so weak willed that he might change teams simply because he say someone attractive on their side.

"I should've expected it, but I didn't. I didn't expect any of this." Ike rubbed at his forehead, as if trying to soothe away a growing headache.

"What I said then was the truth. I will never abandon you, Ike," Soren said.

Ike closed his eyes. "That's good to know, because I'm going to be relying on you a lot, Soren. I don't know the first thing about leading a mercenary company, but I'm learning."

Greil's last words might as well have been Soren's own. Inside him churned emotions and thoughts. _Don't take this job, Ike. Leave her to her fate. It's a suicide mission. We'll be nothing but canon fodder for some ideals. We can live under Daein rule, but a revolutionary strike like this is madness._

"Go to bed. I'll take care of things. You need your sleep," Soren said.

"I don't want you to be all worn out, either. As your commander, I'm ordering you to get some sleep. There, was that good enough?"

"Yes, Ike," Soren said. "I've always known you'd be a good commander."

"Well, at least someone has faith in me," Ike said.

When Ike rose, Soren fell into step beside him. He was so close, close enough to reach out and take Ike's wrist, but nothing he could say would make any difference. The beds in the rooms were mice and mold havens, so a blanket roll was unrolled on the floor.

His own room was terribly cold, the candle burnt down to almost nothing. In a split-second, Soren made a choice. He climbed in next to Ike, his hand against Ike's back as he situated himself under the blanket. He wrapped Ike in his arms, and rested his forehead between his shoulder blades. If he could hold Ike tight enough, would the translation of his actions get to Ike? If he was loyal enough, would Ike understand the depth of his devotion? Holding on was something that came off far easier in the romantic novels—not that he read them, though Mist did—for his arm almost instantly began to fall asleep. No matter, he'd endured far worse pain and irritation for Ike.

Nothing he could say would bring Greil back to Ike. Condolences were nothing more than cliches given to absolve the person of truly caring. They had given a stock line, or perhaps some food. Then they could continue on in their self righteous lives.

Ike laid his hand over Soren's, and interlocked their fingers. Soren dared to hope that Ike might just understand. Whether he did or not, he would never leave Ike's side, even on this sinking ship of a mission. If he had to follow Ike to the death, then so be it. He would use every resource, follow Ike even when it seemed hopeless.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to do it, but I'm going to have to. There isn't another option," Ike said. He held a little tighter to Soren's hand.

"If anyone can, you can," Soren said.

"Thanks for being on my side," Ike said.

"I always will be," Soren said. And he had never meant anything more.


End file.
